Starting Anew
by Metal Gear DANTE
Summary: CloudxLightning. Takes place six months after the defeat of Sephiroth in FFVII, and before the evens of FFXIII. Cloud now lives in a time of peace, but just can't handle the painful memories. He needs a new beginning.
1. Leaving a painful past behind

"This was the end."

He thought.

It was all way too much, and he needed a new story. There was nothing more for him here.

He had grown weary of the endless days, and the sleepless nights. The echos of every sound scraping through his head, the bloodshot mako-infused, ice-blue eyes of his, that glowed radiantly with melancholy, and suffering that a person should never know.

It was all too much.

So many thoughts were racing through his head while he lay on his small bed in his small room of the upper story of Tifa's 7th Heaven bar.

It had now been six months since they had defeated the nightmare, Sephiroth, and saved the planet from certain destruction.

One would probably think that this was the only world in the starry sky.

However one would think wrong.

There are actually many worlds that light up the sky at night.

The planet in which Cloud, Tifa, and the others resided was called Gaia. One of many worlds.

While it was true, they had saved the world, this did not come without a price...

The many battles that had been fought left a substantial amount of damage to the planet. And because of this, many of the residents of Gaia had left the near-dead planet behind to start new lives on other worlds.

The main two had been Cocoon, and Spira.

"I can't do this anymore."

Cloud said to himself finally, as he rose from his small bed, into a sitting position.

With that, he rose out of bed, onto his feet, and walked along the rickedy wooden floor boards, and over to his closet.

He pulled out his normal attire, his SOLDIER uniform (even though he never ACTUALLY made SOLDIER.) which consisted of a black, sleeveless turtle-neck sweater, straps with a spiky pauldron on one side, baggy pants, and combat boots.

He took these articles of clothing, and went into his own bathroom, where he turned the water on in the shower, undressed out of his pajamas, and got in.

The warm water hit Cloud's face. And he couldn't help but think about how big of a decision he was making.

He soon turned off the water, got out of the shower, and dried himself off.

His hair immediately went into its normal, spiky position upon being dry.

With that, he changed into his SOLDIER uniform, walked out of the bathroom, and into the corner of his room.

That was where he had it set.

His buster sword.

The sword Zack had given to him, upon dying, and joining the Lifestream with the great heroes before him.

"Embrace your dreams. If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams."

were his words.

They rang through Cloud's head louder than ever, as he clasped the hilt of the sword.

A reddish tint, and a slight burn came over Cloud's eyes, but he closed them tight, as his lips tingled a bit from the sadness that filled his mind.

He fought it back though.

A SOLDIER would never cry.

"I am...Your living legacy."

He thought in his mind.

And then, he locked the sword into place on his back.

He packed his clothes, and important belongings into a bag, and walked downstairs into the bar part of the building.

Tifa actually wasn't home, she was gone for the week at a martial arts seminar in Kalm City.

Cloud got a piece of paper from behind the bar, and wrote a note on it.

_Dear Tifa,_

_Thank you so much for helping me through my time of need. You were there for me when Aerith died, and you helped regain my true identity. You were right beside me on the battlefield, and always there when it counted._

_You're the best friend I could've ever asked for._

_But this is all just too much._

_I've been through way too much in this world, and I need to start a new life._

_So I'm taking all my savings, and I'm taking off to Cocoon._

_I'll be back to visit you, and everyone else soon._

_Sincerely, _

_Cloud._

He left the note on the bar, and walked right out the door.

That's where his newly designed Fenrir Motorcycle was. Right in the 7th Heaven parking lot.

He jumped on it, and rode a brisk ride through the night of Edge. It was a twenty minute drive to the World Departure Point, and it would be his last drive in Gaia for a loooooooong time.

He went through all the tedious procedures of flight to another world, filling out forms, etc.

He was just gonna stay in a hotel until he found an apartment to live in.

And in about two hours, he was on a shuttle to Cocoon.


	2. When clouds and lightning collide

It had been about three days now, and Cloud was now just beginning his new life in Cocoon.

He was living in the Bodhum Suites, and was gonna start an apartment hunt soon.

As for a job, he was gonna look for a job doing deliveries.

And he had to admit...

Bodhum in Cocoon was a sharp contrast from Edge/Midgar in Gaia.

He now realized that the proximity wasn't the only reason so many people were moving to Cocoon from Gaia, it was because it was simply gorgeous.

Not to mention one of the most peaceful worlds out there.

And here he was, on the seaside of Bodhum.

He looked out the window of his hotel room, and took a deep breath.

"Y'know...It actually looks pretty nice...Maybe I'll go for a walk or somethin'."

He spoke in his usual, monotone, quiet voice.

So he grabbed his sword, exited his room, took the elevator down to the lobby, and made his exit from the hotel, and started down the boardwalk.

But immediately...Something caught his attention. And at this point, he was more than glad that he brought his reliable sword with him.

True Cocoon may have had its peace...But NOTHING is completely peaceful.

He saw what looked like a young, female soldier fighting several ominous monsters at once with a gunblade.

She was quite beautiful... Delicate, feminine facial features, piercing green eyes, and silky pink hair, that went to one side.

She seemed softer than any woman...but at the same time harder than any man.

She had a true warrior's spirit.

He watched, until he saw one of these creatures about to strike her from behind.

He immediately had a vision of when Aerith died.

Without even thinking, he leapt into the battle, taking his buster sword, and slashing the beast in half, and fighting along-side the girl until the bastards were dead,

She took a few breaths, and so did he, before they both put sheathed their weapons.

"Thank you..."

She said in a voice similar to his.

"No problem."

He said as he turned his back, and began to walk.

"Wait..."

She said in somewhat of a hesitant voice.

"What's your name?"

She asked.

"Cloud."

He said.

"And yours?"

"Call me Light."

She replied.


	3. Bonds Formed Through Common Pain

"Light huh?...Not a bad name."

He spoke quietly to her, standing on the snow-white sandy shore of the Bodhum beach.

"Not a bad name yourself."

She told him, right before she looked over to notice a group of more soldiers arriving on the scene.

Cloud could easily tell these must've been the grunts of the military here.

He watched as they started to clear the area.

"Alright folks! Nothin' to see here! Move it along!"

One said.

They wore goofy looking outfits.

They sort of reminded him of the soldiers on Halo. The videogame that Barret drove him insane with back on Gaia.

After a few seconds, Lightning shifted her gentle, but strong gaze back to Cloud.

"Let's get outta here. We'll let the PSICOM clowns take things from here, since they think they're God's gift to mankind."

She said in a scoffing, monotone voice.

It was a bit scary how much she reminded him of himself.

They soon made their way to the boardwalk, and started walking along it.

"So what division are you in anyway? That's quite some weapon you've got there. Never seen it before."

The pink-haired beauty spoke to him.

"Division?..."

Cloud spoke aloud, thinking for a second.

"Oh no, I'm not part of the military. I actually just moved here a few days ago. I'm from Gaia. I was part of the Shinra military at one point, and that's sorta how I got this sword, and uniform."

He informed her.

"I see..."

She spoke aloud.

So he did have a past as a soldier too. She couldn't put her finger on it...But something was indeed interesting about this guy. It could've been a number of things. He was quite handsome first of all. He was an excellent fighter.

She had also processed what he had said about Gaia, and the Shinra military.

"You're from Gaia huh?"

She told him, the afternoon sun beating down on them as their boots walked along the boardwalk.

"I've heard a lot about the tragedies that had befallen your world. I've helped some of the civs from that planet start new lives here. They had some pretty dark stories to tell."

"Yeah."

Cloud said quietly in response.

"Me too. My team of mercenaries and I were the ones that stopped Gaia from being destroyed completely."

He stopped, and leaned against the boardwalk, looking out to the perfect blue sky.

"It's just so screwed up because the people who sacrificed the most, and were the biggest hand in keeping Gaia from dying should be standing RIGHT HERE, but..."

He said, hesitating, and lowering his head.

"They're not..."

He finally said, sounding defeated.

She saw the despair in his eyes. The pain, and trauma that only a soldier could know.

She reached out her hand, and placed it on his shoulder.

"I know how you feel..."

She said in that soft, yet strong voice of hers.

"My real name is Claire Farron."

She confessed to him.

"But you see...My parents died at an early age...So I had to be strong...For my sister...So I took on the name, and the persona...'Lightning'...But lightning flashes quick, and then disappears. It doesn't protect anything. It only destroys."

Cloud shifted his lowered, defeated gaze back to the beautiful soldier, and gave her a small smile.

"Thank you, Lightning. I'm glad you understand. Sometimes we have to be strong for the people we care about. But we also have to remember that taking everything upon ourselves will only break us. Sometimes, we need to let someone in."

He told her, shifting his gaze back out to the sky of blue.

"I guess that's sorta why I left Gaia."

He told her.

Light gave him a small smile in return, and looked out to the sky along with him.

"Have you found a home yet?"

She asked him.

He rubbed the back of his head, still gazing to Cocoon's radiant sky.

"Nope. Sure haven't. I'm living in Bodhum Suites right now. Probably gonna start the apartment hunt tomorrow."

He told her.

"Why don't you stay with me...For now anyway."

She told him.

"I feel like I owe it to another brave vet who saved the his world to give him a place to stay, so he can start the new, peaceful life he's been yearning for, for far too long."

She told him, giving him that beautiful smile of hers.

A slight blush came over his face.

She was right...

And he wouldn't've minded staying with her at all. She was a beautiful girl, and she was apparently very kind to match. She reminded him a lot of himself too.

"Y'know what Light?...I think I'd really appreciate that."

He told her, as he turned to face her, giving off a serene smile.

"Good."

She told him, smiling with her perfect teeth exposed, her soft pink hair, flowing in the afternoon wind.

She got out a piece of paper, and jotted down some information on it.

"Here's my address and phone number. Meet me here at 6 pm, and call me if you have trouble finding the place."

"Alright Light. And thank you sooo much."

He told her.

In fact...This was the first time he was able to TRULY smile in ages.

He couldn't help but wonder...What the hell was this feeling?


	4. I Won't Let You Hurt Anymore

There it was, 6pm, and Cloud was standing right at her doorstep, bags packed and all.

He had officially check out of Bodhum Suites, as Lightning had offered him a new home, for the moment at least.

He gave a knock to her door.

After a long day of patrolling, and doing paperwork for Cocoon Guardian Corps, she got up from her soft, velvet sofa, set in front of her Flat Screen HD TV with the local news playing, stretched a bit, and walked toward the door. She knew well who it was.

She opened the door, and gave him a small smirk.

"Hey there, soldier-boy. Come in."

She told him, in her cool, collected voice, but with some warmth in it.

He smiled back at her, and carrying his luggage and sword, entered.

He took a look at the inside of her house, and was in awe.

He had only wished that military personnel got these kind of benefits back on Gaia.

"Wow...This is a really nice place you've got here."

He told her, still gazing around the insides.

She chuckled a bit.

"Eh, it's a mess, but it's home."

She told him.

"Come on, I'll show you to your room."

She told him.

And with that, she lead him down the hallway, and to the left where a nice, spacious room with a queen-sized bed awaited him.

He had to admit.

This was MUCH better than living at Tifa's 7th Heaven bar.

He entered the room, and sat his baggage on the floor, and his sword in the corner, rubbing the hilt a bit affectionately, always thinking of his best friend, and the sacrifices that he had made.

Light couldn't help but take notice to this, and gave a small smile.

After this, Cloud and Light went back into the living room. They sat on the sofa together, and watched some T.V.

"So do you live here all by yourself?"

Cloud asked.

"No, I live with my little sister too. But she's off right now with that idiot boyfriend of hers."

"Ohh I see."

Cloud said, not contributing to a subject he knew nothing about.

But now that he thought about it, he did remember her talking about her sister. How she had to be strong for her.

A couple of hours went on, and the two shared conversation, and watched T.V. Then after a while, Light fixed something simple up for dinner, and they ate.

It was about 11 o'clock when they turned in, and went to bed.

"Well Cloud, I've got a long day tomorrow, and you do too, if you're gonna look for work."

She told him.

"Sleep well though."

She smiled.

"Yeah, sure thing Light. You too."

He replied.

And with that, the two departed to their separate rooms, and got in bed.

Except Cloud couldn't really get to sleep...

He tossed, and turned.

His body-temperature fluctuated, and he just couldn't seem to get comfortable.

So many thoughts that he just couldn't seem to get out of his head.

Visions of Zack...Aerith...And now Lightning rang through his head.

But why Lightning?

Was it true?

Was he actually starting to develop feelings for this young woman?

He found his mind even more ill-at-ease than it had been in the first place.

He rose up out of his bed, exited his room, quietly walked down the hallway, and quietly stepped outside to the back porch, where he had a good view of the stars, and the temperature was fair. Not hot, but not cold either.

He just looked out at the sky, as if it was gonna give him some kind of answer. Some kind of sign that he had just yearned for.

And then...

He heard the door behind him creak open.

Light stepped out with him.

She walked up beside him.

"Couldn't sleep huh?...What's on your mind?"

She asked concerned.

Cloud shifted his melancholy gaze from the sky to Light, and then the sky again.

"Light...After I defeated Sephiroth...I stopped living."

He confessed to her.

This was the first time he had ever opened up, and told the truth about it to anybody.

"When Sephiroth's existence threatened the planet, I had a reason. A purpose to live. I had to make my loved ones' sacrifices count. And I had to live up to their legacies."

He spoke, his voice shaking, growing with tension with every fleeting second, until he finally just fell to his knees, his fists clenched.

"Damn it...Why?...Why the hell did it have to turn out this way? All because of Sephiroth...Because of Shinra...Mom...My town... And my two best friends are gone...And I'll never get them back..."

His eyes were now starting to burn, as drops of pure sorrow from the depths of his soul were falling from his crystal-blue hues.

But before he could say another word, he felt two arms warmly embrace him.

"It's ok. I know what you're going through. But you don't have to face it alone anymore."

She told whispered to him in a soothing voice, as she stroked her hand through the back of his hair.

Needless to say, he embraced her just as tight.

They loosened their embrace for a moment, and their eyes locked with one anothers.

She spoke to him.

"I won't let you hurt anymore. I promise."

And that was the last thing she said, before they closes their eyes, and met eachother with a loving kiss.


End file.
